Trace-retainer.



v P. FISCHER.

TRACE RETAINER.

APPLICATION FILED MAY 7, 1912.

1,057,630, Patented Apr. 1, 1913.

COLUMBIA PLANOORAPH co.,wAsmNn10N. D4 c.

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PI-IILIP FISCHER, 0F TRENTON, ILLINOIS.

TRACE-RETAINER.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 1,1913.

Application filed. May '7', 1912. Serial No. 695,734.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, PHILIP Frsorrnn, citizenof the United States, residing at Trenton, in the county of Clinton andState of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTrace-Retainers, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation totrace end retainers adapted to be appliedto the back strap and breeching strap of harness, and is adapted to holdthe ends of the traces when they are disconnected from the tree of thevehicle. This prevents the trace ends from hanging down and dangling,about the legs of the animal.

\Vith this object in view, the retainerconsists of a frame of peculiarpattern having an intermediate arched portion with side and end parts towhich the straps of the harness are connected. The intermediate portionis provided with downwardly disposed,

approximately parallel prongs. The frame is provided in its under sideand in the vicinity of its rear edge with recesses located opposite eachother and which open at the lower side of the frame but are closed attheir upper ends by the material of which the frame is composed.Inwardly disposed lugs are located at the sides of the frame just inadvance of the said recesses. The retainer is provided with gudgeonswhich are received within the recesses, and the retainer is provided atits opposite sides with outwardly disposed lugs. Coil springs are woundabout the gudgeons of the retainer, and at their outer ends bear uponthe lugs carried by the frame, and at their inner ends bear against theunder sides of the lugs carried by the retainer therein. The free endportion of the retainer is provided with a groove within which arereceived the pointed end portions of the said prongs when the retaineris in closed position against the same. The tension on the said springsis such as to have a tendency to hold the retainer in closed positionagainst the said prongs.

In the drawings: Figure 1 is a perspective view of the trace endretainer; Fig. 2 is a top plan view of the same; Fig. 3 is alongitudinal sectional view of. the same; Fig. i is an edge view of thesame. Fig. 5 is a fragmentary sectional view, showing the grooves inwhich the ends of the springs seat.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the followingdescription and indicated in all the views of the accompanying drawingsby the same reference characters.

The trace end retainer comprises a frame 1 having an intermediate archedportion 2. Approximately parallel tapered prongs 8 extend in a downwarddirection from the highest point of the arched port-ion. The straps ofthe harness are adapted to be connected with the edge portions ofthe'frame 1. The frame 1 is provided at its rear part and in itsopposite sides with recesses lwhich open at their lower ends at thelower side of the frame. Inwardly disposed lugs 5 are mounted at thesides of the frame just in advance of the recesses 4. These lugs aregrooved at their upper surfaces as at 6.

In conjunction with the frame as above described, a retainer 7 is used.This retainer is provided at its rear end with outwardly disposedalining gudgeons 8. The ends of these gudgeons are received within therecesses 4. The retainer 7 is provided in advance of the gudgeonsS withoutwardly disposed lugs 9, the under sides of which are grooved as at10. The retainer 7 is of general T-shaped configuration in plan and thebranches of the T extend transversely of the frame 1 and lie under thepointed ends of the prongs 8. A groove 11 extends along the upper sidesof the branches of the retainer .and is adapted to receive the lowerends of the said prongs when the retainer is in closed posit-ion againstthe prongs. Springs 12 are coiled about the inner portions of thegudgeons 8,

and at their outer ends are received in the grooves 6 of the lugs 5. Theinner ends of the said springs are recelved in the grooves '10 of thelugs 9. These springs are under tension with a tendency to hold thebranches at the free end of the retainer in contact with the prongs.

By such an arrangement, it will be seen that a trace end retainer isprovided which consists of two parts only and two springs, and that thesprings not only serve as means for holding the parts in normal butmovable positions with relation to each other, but they also serve asmeans for holding the parts together or in a predetermined relation toeach other. Therefore the frame and the retainer maintain their properrelation to each other without the use of bolts or rivets, and withoutnecessitating the drilling or puncturing of any of the parts for thereception of such bolts or rivets. Therefore, an exceedingly strong anddurable structure is effected and the parts may be easily and quicklyassembled, thereby rendering the device cheap to manufacture When thetrace ends of the harness have been disconnected from the tree, the eyesof the traces are pressed down upon the branches of. the retainer andare carried under and up along the prongs 3. Thus the trace ends aresecured. \Vhen the animal is being hitched to the vehicle and it isdesired to quickly disconnect the trace ends from the device, it isnecessary only to press down the free end of the retainer when the eyesof both traces are simultaneously liberated. This is accomplished bygravity, and by reason of the fact that the traces are in position to bequickly disconnected from the tree. In other words, but a singlemovement on the part of an attendant is necessary to liberate bothtraces from the device.

WVhat I claim is:

A trace end retainer comprising a frame having an intermediate archedportion with downwardly disposed, approximately verti- 1 end gudgeonswhich are received within the said recesses and being provided inadvance of the gudgeons with grooved lugs, said retainer having in theupper sides of the branches at its free enda groove adapted to receivethe lower ends of the prongs, and springs coiled about the innerportions of the gudgeons and having their outer ends received in thegrooves of the lugs upon the frame and thelr inner ends received 1n thegrooves upon the retainer.

In testimony whereof I afliX my slgnat-ure in presence of two witnesses.

PHILIP FISCHER.

Witnesses OSCAR GINZEL, GEORGE HARTLEY.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents .each, byaddressing the Commissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. C.

